


Breathe-III

by metalcowboy



Series: Fireteam Geo [3]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-06 07:04:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21222554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/metalcowboy/pseuds/metalcowboy





	Breathe-III

_ Inhale. Guide the current through you. Route it throughout your nerves and your veins, make it a part of you, until you can taste the electrical charge lingering in the air. Exhale. Focus it in one point and release it. Let it run free of your grasp, streaking through the air to its nearest focal point, and wreaking havoc. _

Dusty-13 got about halfway through the exhale before he lost control, sending a violent surge of electricity through his body and frying every single one of his systems. His body slumped to the ground in a smoking mess before disappearing entirely in a puff of dust. 

Stone-7 and Citrine-9 watched in shock at the spectacle before them. Silver, Dusty’s ghost, pulled him back to his feet in a flash of light before retreating back towards Stone and Citrine in order to continue watching the show.

“God  _ damn _ it!” Dusty shouted. He kicked a rock into a nearby alley, and folded his arms in frustration. “I told y’all I ain’t gonna get this down. Why’re you so set on me learnin’ this lightning shit anyway?”

“Because you never know what you’re gonna run into out there, it never hurts to immerse yourself further in the traveler’s light, and getting a hold of all 3 elements could prove-” Stone’s words were cut off as a blast of solar light pierced his skull, disintegrating his body in the blink of an eye.   
  


“Ain’t nothin comin’ that ol’ goldie can’t take care of. I believe I’m plenty immersed in the traveler’s light, and I’ll leave playing with lightning to the warlocks.” Dusty chirped, twirling his golden gun in his hand and thrusting it down to his side as if holstering it. It clattered to the ground with a sharp hiss. He was not wearing a holster. 

Stone reappeared in the courtyard and looked at Citrine, then to Dusty. “Was he- were you talking to me? I can’t hear you when I’m dead, Dusty.”

Dusty opened his mouth to speak again, and stone brought his shoulder full force into the man’s jaw before he could get a word out. Arc energy shot in and out of his body and he, too, disintegrated in a flash.

“See how it feels” stone muttered

Dusty flashed back. “Really?”

“That’s seven times in the last month you’ve domed me with goldie.  _ Seven _ . You can prove your points without killing me, you know.”

“Where’s the fun in that? Not like it keeps you down long anyhow.”

Stone turned to argue, but a voice from across the courtyard cut him off.

“I do really enjoy watching your antics, but would you  _ please _ try to focus, Dusty?” 

Savin Kos stepped towards the three, twirling their arc staff idly in their hand. 

“I know I’m not the best teacher, but I agreed to show you how to wield your arc light assuming you’d take me seriously. Now please, just a few more tries and we can call it a day.”

Dusty sighed. “Alright. I’ll give ‘er a go. Still don’t see why you’re all so uptight about all this.”

Again, Dusty attempted the inhale-exhale instructions that Savin gave, and again and again he just couldn’t bring it under control. He tried having Citrine stand in front of him, thinking that maybe the task of keeping her safe would help him, but he just wound up vaporizing her. Stone chuckled from behind him. Savin nitpicked every little flaw they saw in Dusty’s technique and stance in an attempt to help him improve, but it only served to frustrate him further. He became more and more sloppy until finally, after being resurrected for the who-knows-how-many-th time, he threw his hands up in frustration and stormed off. 

Savin placed their hand to their forehead and sighed. “At least he tried. I know I can’t force him. I’ll see you guys around, I’ve gotta go talk to Commander Zavala about something.” The three guardians said their goodbyes, and Citrine and Stone walked off to find Dusty.

After a brisk walk through the tower, they found him sitting on the Annex’s landing pad, his legs dangling off the edge, hanging hundreds of feet above the city streets. Stone sat next to him, while Citrine stood back a few feet to admire the view before taking the spot at Dusty’s side opposite Stone. They sat in silence for several moments before Citrine spoke.   
  


“You should really thank Savin for their help. I know you hate it but I’m sure they’d appreciate a thank you. It’s ok if you don’t get it down, just so long as you try.”

“I ain’t quittin’, stupid. Just need to blow off some steam, ‘s all. You know I’ve never been one for patience when it comes to this kinda thing. I just want to feel like I’m making  _ some _ kind of progres.”

“You are!” Stone chimed in. “A week ago you couldn’t even conjure a spark. Now you’ve got a whole bolt of arc energy coursing through you. You’re making strides, man.”

Dusty sighed once more. “I know. But it never feels fast enough. You two’ve been masters of each of the elements since before we even took on ol’ Bat Wings, but this whole time I’ve only been able to handle one. I feel... behind.”

“And that’s ok! I still have trouble controlling nova warp from time to time. Nobody said you have to master everything at once. It doesn’t hurt to keep trying, but if you can’t get a hold of a new technique, just work to  _ really _ master the one you do have down.”

“She’s right. You have arguably the best aim in the solar system, Dusty. You’re leaps and bounds ahead of most of the other gunslingers. Nobody’s gonna fault you if your arc staff technique is a little rusty.”

“It’s not good enough!” Dusty said, frustrated. “What if some new big bad rolls into town and I- I’m not-” His voice was getting strained. “What if I’m not enough? What if I can’t protect y’two?”

Citrine rested her head on his shoulder. “That’s why they call us a fireteam, and not Dusty’s Babysitting Brigade. We protect  _ each other _ , stupid. You’re not some storybook hero. You don’t get to carry the burden of being the one to protect us when you know damn well we’re worried about your safety too.”

Dusty tilted his head so it lay on top of hers. “I know you do. Y’know I’d never go out and die on ya. Neither of you’d forgive me.” 

“Damn right we wouldn’t.” Stone said.

Dusty quickly looked over his shoulder to make sure nobody was watching before he grabbed Stone’s hand and held it in his own. 

The three of them sat in silence for a while, watching the city, and the traveller, almost peacefully. 

  
Dusty smiled.


End file.
